Having examined how to go about getting the best from step-time sequencing, Paul Wiffen turns his hand this month to looking at recording music performance in real-time.

Up until now we've concentrated on programming techniques that can be exercised at a leisurely pace, with the facility to go back and delete, insert or rearrange things as desired, but real-time programming, as the name implies, requires everything to be loaded as a cohesive musical performance (albeit at a slower tempo than playback or to within certain limits). There are some people for whom 'real-time' is the only way to program. Clearly, they value the speed of programming and human 'feel' which results and can fully benefit from this method owing to their superior playing technique. For us lesser mortals, there are means by which real-time programming can be made more accurate and less laborious, which is just as well, because in some applications - long-drawn-out polyphonic chords (a string part, for example) or lead lines - it gives far more satisfying results than step-time recording.

Preparation

As the time in which the loading of a sequence can be accomplished is strictly limited, it's vital that when the recording actually begins, everything has been set up to get the sequence right in as few 'takes' as possible. Whilst no two real-time sequencers are identical, there are a few things you can do to aid recording which are commonly available on many such machines, if not all.

Metronomes

If you're lucky, a metronome facility will be built into your sequencer: all you have to do is set it to give the note values you want - crotchets, quavers, or whatever - and a click track will automatically be put out when you're in record mode. Be careful, however, as you will often find that the metronome governs your trigger in (for sync) and out (for controlling other sequencers/synths/drum machines), so if you plan to use this facility as well, be sure that it is fast enough for all the other things you want to happen at the same time.

If you don't have an internal metronome, don't worry: there are several other ways of obtaining a similar aural guide. Many sequencers nowadays can be controlled externally by a drum machine or another sequencer - this means that the sequencer's internal clock is overriden by the incoming one (either through the Click/Clock In, or MIDI In) and the sequence is then recorded in relation to these incoming pulses. If you are using a drum machine in this manner, then it's a relatively simple matter to set up either the final pattern you are going to be using or a rhythm which gives you the timing you need (for example, a hi-hat on 4s, 8s or 16s as required, with the first beat playing open hi-hat to give you the beginning of the bar). Then you can play along as normal and the drum machine will keep you in time on record, and in sync on playback.

Even if you don't have this drum machine sync facility, there are still other ways of obtaining a metronome. For example, it is sometimes possible to set up a step-time sequence on the sequencer you are using (to be erased when you have your first track properly recorded) or on a synced pulse time sequencer. Again, set a repeated note on the sequencer, with a higher or lower note to indicate the first beat of a bar, and use a percussive envelope on the synth. Noise as the sound source is a good thing to use if you have filter tracking, which can be used to make a difference in brightness between the two pitches.

If all else fails, use a totally separate metronome, either an old-fashioned, mechanical one or a more up-to-date device such as E&MM's Electronic Metronome (featured as a project in Jan 84). As long as you start playing (or go into 'record') at the beginning of a bar, it should give a better result than using nothing at all.

Auto-Correction

On some real-time sequencers, it's possible to set the internal clock so that it corrects your playing to the nearest note, be it 8s, 16s, 32s or some triplet form of these. If there's a feature on your sequencer labelled Correct (or similar) then use this to set it up, and if not, it may be possible to use the Frequency Control to do this. By experimenting with slow clock speed and fast playing, you should be able to deduce the clock rate (even if this is not shown on the machine) and use this to delineate your smallest time interval.

Starting Right...

If you don't get a good start to your recording then it doesn't matter how good the rest is - that 'take' is useless. So it makes sense to do as much as possible to facilitate the beginning of the recording. Nowadays, it's often possible to use a footswitch to start either the sequencer or the controlling drum machine, and you should use one of these wherever possible as it leaves your hands free to do the actual playing.

Some real-time sequencers actually give you the metronome in advance, or else allow the sync drum machine to run first but don't actually start recording until you press the footswitch or begin playing. All this makes your job easier and you are almost certain to end up with a better performance.

If you have none of these tricks at your disposal, you will have to rely almost entirely on your own co-ordination. One thing you can do is to try to practice hitting record and your first note together a few times before going for the take. In general, though, the only really concrete thing I can say to owners of this form of gadget-less sequencer is to wish you good luck. You're probably going to need it.

...and Ending Right

If you want to loop your sequence or chain several together, then stopping the recording correctly is just as important as starting it: otherwise you will find your loop or next sequence is out of time. Again, if you have a recent-model sequencer, you may find there is an auto-correct on the end as well, but if you are not so fortunate, practice hitting the 'stop' button in the right place a few times - it's not always quite as easy as it sounds.

Once you've got your sequence roughly right, what next? Well, again you may be fortunate enough to have a post-auto-correct facility, but if you have, don't just leap in and correct as most of these facilities are permanent and you may overdo the job.

In any event, you should always listen back to your sequence very carefully: you may find that the replay doesn't sound as good as you thought. This may just be a result of your native optimism or it may be that the internal clock is not correcting in the manner you require. If you find notes are clipping or appearing out of place (or even being lost altogether), you'll need to adjust your auto-correct or clock frequency to allow for shorter notes. If the sequence still sounds a bit loose, re-record it with a heavier auto-correct or a slightly faster clock frequency. If your auto-correct is retrospective, listen carefully for how far out your performance is. Use the smallest correction factor possible and build up to the minimum required (this is not only the safest way not to ruin your sequence, but also allows for a more human feel - which is half the point of real-time sequencing).

Overdubbing

Try to use whatever metronome facilities you had originally for as many subsequent overdubs as possible: this will maintain the same error factor in each track as opposed to the error accumulating with each additional performance. If you can still use your intro facilities (footswitch or drum pattern), then do so - they'll help keep the timing as good as your performance.

Above all, the secret of real-time recording is to be patient and to practice - a great deal. Don't get discouraged if your first results are not particularly flattering: real-time sequencing is a performance technique that requires considerable experience and familiarity with the equipment in question. You will find that the results of your real-time endeavours gradually become more and more satisfying and the benefits of this form of keyboard recording become more and more apparent. All your sequences should be replayed with a more human feel than is possible with steptime techniques, albeit with human mistakes as well.